WTCS Samarkand 2026 Preview: The season kicks off with a top-level lineup
The WTCS Samarkand 2026 will open the World Triathlon Series season this Saturday, April 25, after the postponement of Abu Dhabi, with an Olympic course and a start list of enormous quality in the two elite races.
Samarkand will make its debut as a WTCS venue after having hosted World Cup events in 2024 and 2025. The official program sets the women's start at 13:00 local time and the men's at 15:45. 10:00 and 12:45 in Spanish peninsular time.
The circuit will be of Olympic distance, with 1.500 meters of swimming, 40 km of cycling and 10 km of running, on a flat and fast course around the rowing lake of the Uzbek city.
Schedule and how to watch the WTCS Samarkand 2026 live in Spain
The WTCS Samarkand 2026 can be followed Live in Spain via RTVE Play, which has already scheduled the broadcast of the Triathlon World Championship Series from Samarkand. As an international alternative, the event will also be available on Triathlon Live.tv.
- Female Elite: Saturday, April 25th at 10:00 (Spanish Peninsular Time)
- Male Elite: Saturday, April 25th at 12:45 (Spanish Peninsular Time)
The official event program and course details can be found on the World Triathlon website: WTCS Samarkand 2026.
The women's race starts with Tertsch in the spotlight
The main reference point for the preview is Lisa TertschThe German arrives in Samarkand as the reigning world champion after winning the title at the Wollongong 2025 Grand Final. This time she is no longer a revelation, but the woman to beat in the season opener.
But Tertsch's defense of his leadership begins with a very high level of opposition. Cassandre Beaugrand He returns to the scene after having relinquished the world title last year, Leonie Periault He arrives with a very high level in running and Beth Potter It leads a very deep British bloc.
Around him also appear names like Bianca Seregni, Jeanne Lehair, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Taylor Spivey, Laura Lindemann o Gwen Jorgensen, which makes this season opening one of the most powerful lineups in recent years.
From a tactical standpoint, the race could break apart very early. There are several specialists capable of pushing the pace in the swim and thinning out the group on the bike, and such a flat course could create gaps if riders attack aggressively from the start.
If the top runners are well-positioned by T2, the outcome will again be decided on the run. Otherwise, Samarkand may reward those who can break away before the final 10K.
The official start list also includes Marta Pintanel As the Spanish representative in the women's race, it's an added incentive to closely follow a race where every point will count from day one.
The men's race opens without Hauser, Yee, or Wilde
While the women's race is notable for its concentration of champions, the men's race is marked by several significant absences.
matt hauser, current world champion, Alex Yee, Olympic champion, and Hayden Wilde[Name of triathlon legend], one of the leading names in international triathlon, will not be in Samarkand. They are also not participating in this first major event of the year. Leo Bergere ni Dorian ConinxAll of that leaves the test much more open than usual.
The three names that appear in the center of the preview are Miguel Hidalgo, Basque Vilaça y Henry GraffHidalgo and Vilaça finished second and third overall in 2025, while Graf was one of the year's biggest revelations with his victory in Karlovy Vary. Samarkand offers them a serious opportunity to start the season with a statement win.
Hidalgo arrives with the backing of his ability to decide races on the run. Vilaça is still chasing his first WTCS victory, but his consistency keeps him in contention. And Graf, probably one of the most aggressive cyclists in the group, could turn the cycling segment into a natural selection if the wind picks up on such an open course.
That's where the name of David canteroThe Spaniard left a very positive impression at the end of 2025 and starts as one of the most dangerous contenders if he manages to reach the final 10km within the main group. In a race missing several of the circuit's top riders, the scenario seems particularly favorable for him to fight at the front.
Alongside them appear other contenders with arguments to enter the fight, such as Alessio Crociani, Csongor Lehmann, Oliver Conway, Connor bentley, John Reed o Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger, winner in Samarkand last year in the World Cup.
On paper, everything points to a race that is more open than usual and very sensitive to the splits that occur in swimming and cycling.
A season opener with much more than just a first stop
The WTCS Samarkand 2026 is not just another event on the calendar. It's the race that reshuffles the deck after the Wollongong event, the first major competitive benchmark of the year, and a perfect opportunity to gauge who is truly ready for the new season.
In women, the focus will be on checking if Lisa Tertsch She can hold the title of champion against rivals like Beaugrand, Potter, or Periault. In the men's game, the absence of several superstars opens a very serious opportunity for them to... Hidalgo, Vilaça, Graf or David Cantero step up from the first test of the year.
Samarkand, given its history and context, promises a fast-paced, tactical, and very demanding season opener. And in the World Series, that's usually synonymous with a great show.
